Fallen officer shot repeatedly; wounded police dog ‘stable’

This undated handout photo released by the Dekalb County Police Department shows DeKalb County Police Officer Edgar Isidro Flores. Flores was gunned down after a traffic stop and foot chase east of Atlanta, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. (Dekalb County Police Department via AP)

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia police officer gunned down after a traffic stop and foot chase east of Atlanta was shot multiple times by an assailant who also opened fire on a police dog named…

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia police officer gunned down after a traffic stop and foot chase east of Atlanta was shot multiple times by an assailant who also opened fire on a police dog named Indi, who is in stable condition, state officials said Friday afternoon.

The slain lawman was identified as DeKalb County police officer Edgar Isidro Flores, 24, who graduated from the police academy last year. He had been hired by the suburban police force in May 2017 and graduated from the academy about six months later.

The suspect, who was shot by officers, was also killed in the Thursday evening gunfire.

In an update on the case, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Brandon Taylor, 33, of Decatur ran from a traffic stop before killing officer Flores in a parking lot.

Taylor ran again and hid in a pile of tires, then opened fire on the dog named Indi who had tracked him there, the GBI said. The agency says three SWAT officers then fired at Taylor, who was later pronounced dead.

“Tonight, a DeKalb County police officer died in the line of duty serving its citizens of DeKalb County,” DeKalb County police Chief James Conroy said at a Thursday night news conference.

Flores is the third Georgia officer killed by gunfire in 2018, the GBI said. The case is the 89th case of a shooting involving an officer that the GBI has been asked to investigate this year.

The shooting followed a traffic stop, Conroy said.

“I am very proud of the men and women of the police department. They responded to the scene, were able to track the suspect, they did their job,” Conroy told reporters.

The shooting caused a nearby portion of Interstate 20 to be briefly shut down, leading to rush-hour traffic jams.

Governor-elect Brian Kemp tweeted his condolences for the officer. “We are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice,” he wrote. “Our prayers are with those who mourn.”

The GBI says it will investigate and then turn over the results to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.